Systems and methods of templating using particles such as colloidal particles

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for using particle templating, e.g., to produce composites, discrete particles, or the like. In some embodiments, the present invention generally relates to the production of particles using the interstitial spaces between templating elements in a template structure. For example, a plurality of templating elements, which can include colloidal particles, may be arranged to form a template structure. The interstices of the templating elements can provide regions in which a fluid may be introduced. The fluid may be hardened (e.g., solidified) in some cases, e.g., to form a composite comprising the templating elements and the interstitial segments. In certain embodiments, the template structure may then be broken down to release the hardened fluid, e.g., as a plurality of discrete particles.

1 . A method, comprising:
 providing a template structure comprising a plurality of templating elements defining one or more interconnecting interstitial spaces, wherein at least about 80% of the points contained within the one or more interstitial spaces are located no more than about 1000 nm from a templating element, and wherein the volume fraction of the templating elements in the template structure is at least about 0.5;   introducing a fluid into at least a portion of the interstitial spaces; and   hardening the fluid to form a composite comprising the templating elements and interstitial segments of hardened fluid.   
     
     
         2 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of templating elements comprises a solid. 
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of templating elements comprises a fluid. 
     
     
         9 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the fluid in at least a portion of the interstitial spaces comprises a polymer precursor. 
     
     
         12 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein providing a template structure comprises providing a suspension of templating elements, the suspension positioned on a porous substrate. 
     
     
         19 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising increasing the temperature of the composite while applying pressure. 
     
     
         28 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein hardening the fluid comprises polymerizing the fluid. 
     
     
         38 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein hardening the fluid comprises solidifying the fluid. 
     
     
         39 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein hardening the fluid comprises forming a gel. 
     
     
         40 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein at least about 50%, by number, of the templating elements are not covered completely with the fluid. 
     
     
         44 - 57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising separating the network of templating elements from the interstitial segments of hardened fluid. 
     
     
         59 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising dissociating the interstitial segments of hardened fluid to form a plurality of hardened fluid particles. 
     
     
         60 - 61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising removing the templating elements from the composite. 
     
     
         63 - 66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein hardening comprises cooling the fluid to form the composite. 
     
     
         68 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein hardening comprises evaporating a solvent from the fluid to form the composite. 
     
     
         69 - 70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . An article, comprising:
 a template structure comprising a plurality of templating elements defining one or more interconnecting interstitial spaces, and   a hardened fluid within at least a portion of the interstitial spaces,   wherein the volume fraction of the templating elements in the template structure is at least about 0.5, and   wherein the hardened fluid is capable of substantially completely dissolving within an excess of aqueous solvent within about 10 minutes.   
     
     
         72 - 73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . An article, comprising:
 a template structure comprising a plurality of substantially spherical templating elements having a maximum cross-sectional dimension of less than about 1 mm, defining one or more interconnecting interstitial spaces, and   a hardened fluid within at least a portion of the interstitial spaces,   wherein the volume fraction of the templating elements in the template structure is at least about 0.5.   
     
     
         75 - 77 . (canceled) 
     
     
         78 . An article as in  claim 71 , wherein the hardened fluid exhibits a dissolution rate in the excess of aqueous solvent under ambient conditions that is at least about 2 times greater than a control dissolution rate, in the excess of aqueous solvent, of a sample of the hardened fluid having the same volume but absent the templating elements. 
     
     
         79 . An article as in  claim 71 , the article being reducible to form a first sub-composite with a first volume and a second sub-composite with a second volume that is at least 10 3  times smaller than the first volume, wherein the hardened fluid within the first sub-composite exhibits a first non-zero dissolution time in the excess of aqueous solvent and the hardened fluid within the second sub-composite exhibits a second non-zero dissolution time in the excess of aqueous solvent, the first dissolution time being within about 25% of the second dissolution time, relative to the smaller of the first and second dissolution times. 
     
     
         80 . An article as in  claim 71 , wherein the templating elements have an average maximum cross-sectional dimension of less than about 10 microns. 
     
     
         81 . An article as in  claim 71 , wherein at least about 80% of the points contained within the interstitial spaces are located no more than about 500 nm from a templating element. 
     
     
         82 - 83 . (canceled) 
     
     
         84 . An article as in  claim 71 , wherein at least some of the templating elements are spherical. 
     
     
         85 - 86 . (canceled) 
     
     
         87 . An article as in  claim 71 , wherein the templating elements within the template structure have a volume fraction of at least about 0.7. 
     
     
         88 . An article as in  claim 71 , wherein the mass ratio of the templating elements to the hardened fluid is at least about 1.5:1. 
     
     
         89 - 92 . (canceled) 
     
     
         93 . An article as in  claim 71 , wherein at least about 50%, by number, of the templating elements are not covered completely with the fluid. 
     
     
         94 - 98 . (canceled) 
     
     
         99 . An article as in  claim 71 , wherein the shortest distance between the two surfaces of the two elements is less than or equal to about 10% of the geometric average of the maximum cross-sectional dimensions of the two elements. 
     
     
         100 . An article as in  claim 71 , wherein at least about 80% of the templating elements are proximate to at least one other templating element such that the distance between the two surfaces of the two templating elements less than or equal to about 5% of the geometric average of the maximum cross-sectional dimensions of the two templating elements. 
     
     
         101 - 105 . (canceled)